Svengoolie

The show airs both low-budget and classic horror and science-fiction movies, with host "Svengoolie" – a portmanteau of the words Svengali and ghoul – played by Rich Koz (pronounced "Koze"), who wears thick skull-like makeup around his eyes and cheekbones, a moustache, goatee, and long wig, all black, and a black top hat with a tuxedo jacket over a bright-red, open-collared, pleated tuxedo shirt. Just before and after commercial breaks, Svengoolie presents sketches, tells corny jokes, and performs song parody spoofs of the film being aired. Some shows were presented in what was later dubbed "Sven-surround" – a pun on "Sensurround", a brand name theater audio system – in which Svengoolie would joke as the film aired sometimes with humorous sound effects. This stunt was discontinued for a short time, then brought back due to viewer request, although as a clip segment aired outside the film. One relatively recent addition to the show is the simultaneous use of Twitter with the hashtag #svengoolie, allowing those watching to comment on the show. Films In August 2006, it was reported that WCIU had obtained broadcast rights to the classic Universal Monsters films of the 1930s and 1940s. These films had been requested since Svengoolie aired in the 1980s. By December 2006, the show featured four episodes of the Abbott and Costello "Meet" series, with Universal Studios Monsters and several Hammer Film Productions that were distributed by Universal-International. On May 5, 2007, Svengoolie presented Bela Lugosi's Dracula (1931), claiming that it was the first time the movie had been shown on local television in more than a decade. Themes The show opens with a reference to early radio broadcasting: "Calling all stations, clear the air lanes, clear all air lanes for the big broadcast." This is a sound clip from the preview "trailer" of one of the four "Big Broadcast Of .... (1932, 1936, 1937, 1938)" movies. In a running gag throughout the series, Svengoolie's mentions of the Chicago suburb of Berwyn are met with an audio clip of several people groaning "BERWYN?!?" Another recurring gag involves rubber chickens thrown at Svengoolie after a weak joke, usually at the end of an episode's opening and closing sketches. Visitors assist the crew in throwing rubber chickens during taping. Frequently sound clips are used from Warner Bros. cartoons ("Oh we're the boys of the Chorus,"...etc.), radio broadcasts of The Stan Freberg Show ("Thank you for all those cards and letters, you folks in television LANT.....", "Wun'erful, Wun'erful" and "Ow, OW, OW!!!" from "The HoneyEarthers"), and other sources. == Characters ==

• Svengoolie – the title character and host of the show, who introduces the film, tells jokes and relates trivia about the movie. The character was originally portrayed by former WCFL personality Jerry G. Bishop, who held the role from 1970 to 1973. • Kerwyn (voiced by Rich Koz) - A smart-aleck rubber chicken puppet who helps Svengoolie review viewer mail and photos. • Zelda (voiced by Jerry G. Bishop) - A smart-mouthed, disembodied skull (much like her successor, Tombstone) with a voice modeled after Flip Wilson's Geraldine Jones character. • Anita X. Orcist – A saxophone player who appears infrequently during the show's weekly music number; portrayed by Natalie Scharf, Doug's daughter. • Durwood the Dummy (voiced by Jerry G. Bishop in 1970–73, Rich Koz in 1979–present) – A wooden ventriloquist's dummy featured on the original series (1970–73), later carried over to the Son of Svengoolie series and retained from then on, though featured infrequently in recent years. His name is a pun on The Dick Van Dyke Show character Buddy Sorrell, played on that show by Morey Amsterdam. His voice is modeled after Amsterdam's. • Gwengoolie (played by Sarah M. Palmer, aka Pinup Palmer) – A character added to the cast after the "Spawn of Svengoolie" talent search and member of the "Sven Squad". Making her first on-air appearance towards the end of the September 23, 2023, episode of "The Return of the Vampire". • Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein (IMP) – An imp-like character added to the cast after the "Spawn of Svengoolie" talent search and member of the "Sven Squad". (played by Bill Leff, host of MeTV's morning cartoon show Toon In with Me) – A character based on the vampire Nosferatu, with a comical twist, which began making appearances on Svengoolie on April 8, 2023, during the "Spawn of Svengoolie" talent search and is now recognized as one part of the "Sven Squad". His first television appearance was on Toon In with Me, on October 13, 2022, on the episode titled "NOStolgiaFERATOO", as an "ultra-creepy nostalgia consultant". He often carries around a prop candelabra. Many other incidental characters throughout the show's run have been voiced by Rich Koz and – during his tenure – Jerry G. Bishop, as well as WFLD staff announcer Jim Barton (during the "Son of" years). == Production ==

Rich Koz did most of the artwork for the show when he revived it as Son of Svengoolie at WFLD. Segments showcasing the original casket continued to be rebroadcast on the MeTV schedule. Rebroadcasts often will use improved prints of the films if they have become available, while keeping the old comedy skits. == Broadcast history ==

The show's original title was Screaming Yellow Theater. ==Spin-offs==

A spin-off of both Svengoolie and MeTV's morning cartoon block Toon In with Me, titled Sventoonie, premiered on MeTV on March 26, 2022. Sventoonie was hosted by Toon In with Mes Kevin Fleming as his puppet character Toony the Tuna, in character as "Sventoonie". In the series, Sventoonie reviewed classic horror films and took part in comedy sketches with his own cast, including occasional appearances by Svengoolie himself. Sventoonie ended on February 25, 2023, with reruns of the classic Batman replacing it the following Saturday night. Another spin-off of Svengoolie titled House of Svengoolie starred the Sven Squad as they also show horror and sci-fi movies. ==Expansion==

On October 1, 2022, it was announced that a nationwide talent search, called "Spawn of Svengoolie", would be accepting auditions for fans to create a character and send in their audition video, in hopes of joining the production. There was also an opportunity for fans to audition at the 2022 New York Comic Con. One year later, three new characters, "The Sven Squad", began to appear in short spots and segments during the broadcast. (Gwengoolie, Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein & Nostalgiaferatoo), although Nostalgiaferatoo began appearing much earlier than Gwen and Imp. Sven Squad merchandise and promotional photos were added to the official MeTV website's Svengoolie page, beginning around October 22, 2023. == Reception ==

Between 1979 and 1986, Son of Svengoolie won three Chicago Emmys at station WFLD. Svengoolie appeared as a supporting character in a storyline in the Dick Tracy comic strip that started in April 2017. A special four-part crossover story in two-page parts featuring Svengoolie with the various DC Comics superheroes ran through the month of October 2019. DC Comics editor Dan Didio said the idea for this was a "fun mash-up" featuring the Justice League alongside elements of the Svengoolie show. == References ==